CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois put up eight runs in the sixth inning and rolled past Evansville, 13-3, on Sunday at Itchy Jones Stadium to secure the Missouri Valley Conference series victory. The Salukis improved to 35-16 overall and 15-9 in league play with their second straight double-digit scoring performance.
The Salukis collected nine hits and drew eight walks, turning a 3-3 tie into a rout with a late offensive surge that saw 11 batters come to the plate in the sixth. Five different Salukis recorded RBIs in the inning, including a two-run double from Michael Mylott and a three-run double off the bat of Gabe Petrucelli – all before an out was recorded.
Matt Schark continued his torrid weekend with another big game, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and three RBIs. The senior slugger hit five home runs in the series and raised his season total to 20, while his RBI total climbed to a team-best 69 – which is one shy of tying the program’s single-season record.
The St. Charles, Missouri native made history in the third inning when he blasted his 20th home run of the season over the wall in left field to become the Southern Illinois all-time leader in home runs in a season. Schark tied the single-season home run mark Saturday with a three-homer performance against the Aces.
Mylott drove in four runs, including two on a single in the second inning and two more in the sixth. Petrucelli doubled twice and plated three runs, while Cecil Lofton added a two-run double. Tim Simay walked twice and scored three times, and Jaxon Holder reached base three times and tallied two hits and two runs.
On the mound, Al Holguin made his second consecutive strong start, going five innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out six. He earned a no-decision, while Gavan Wernsing picked up the win in relief with two shutout innings, striking out three and allowing just two baserunners.
Evansville (15-35, 9-15 MVC) led briefly in the second inning after a two-run double from shortstop Josh McConnell, but Southern quickly answered and never looked back. The Aces used five pitchers in the loss and issued eight free passes while committing a costly error that extended the sixth inning.
Over the final two games of the series, the Salukis outscored Evansville 26-6 and outhit the Aces 19-12.
